Stuck by Oliver Jeffers

This is a book that I bought for me! I simply couldn't resist Stuck when I came across it while browsing my favourite independent bookstore, Riverbend Books.

I have been an Oliver Jeffers fan since I first came across The Heart and the Bottle - an incredible book for older children that I'll discuss another time. There are some authors that you just love everything they do, and Oliver Jeffers is definitely in this category for me.

Stuck begins with Floyd getting his kite stuck in a tree. But the trouble begins when Floyd throws his favourite shoe at the kite and it gets stuck in the tree too. Floyd then tries, among other things, the milkman,  the family car and an orang utan - and they all get stuck too!

Stuck is definitely one that older children would enjoy, due to the ridiculous and hilarious approach that Floyd takes to getting his kite down. I particularly love the bit where he fetches a saw, lines it up, and then chucks it into the tree!

Like all of Jeffers' work, the illustrations are simply magnificent. I adore how expressive the illustrations are - I love the little storm cloud that appears above Floyd's face as his frustration builds when everything keeps getting stuck.

Parents will love this book. Although Maximilian definitely doesn't understand the humour yet, he does still enjoy the story - the repetitive use of the word "stuck" is particularly enjoyable for him and he loves to parrot me by repeating "stuck" as we read this book aloud.

Recommended for readers aged 3 and up, although Maximilian is proof that the book can be enjoyed from 18 months!

Kisses for Daddy by Frances Watts and David Legge

Baby Bear doesn't want to go to bed and he doesn't want to give Daddy a good night kiss. The way that Daddy Bear takes this in stride and gets Baby Bear to complete his bedtime routine is an inspiration for all parents and makes for a wonderful story :-) The book has lots of fun animals in it and great use of repetition to build language skills in little ones.

Kisses for Daddy is one of those books that is an absolute pleasure to share with your child. It is a real romp of a story, with lots of opportunities to share hugs, tickles, kisses and laughs with your child. The rhythm of the story is also excellent, so it is a nice story to read aloud. Maximilian just loves it and there are pages in this book that always get a laugh, no matter how tired or overwrought he is. We've been enjoying it now for at least six months, so it's definitely good for babies 12 months and up.

The illustrations are just amazing, and the more time you spend reading this book and looking at the fabulous illustrations, the more you are rewarded. As the story follows the different animal kisses that Daddy and Baby Bear enjoy, each of the animals can be found in the corresponding illustrations - so as your child gets older, you can play find the animal games and all sorts of other fun things.

I am sure this is going to remain a favourite story in our house for years to come! Definitely a five star picture book - I will definitely be looking for more books by Frances Watts and David Legge (and while writing this I've just found out they've got another one - hooray!)